Extension plug or device for connecting electric conductors.



W. E. ONEIL. EXTENSION PLUG 0R DEVICE FOR CONNEC'IING ELECTRICCONDUCTOBS.

APPLICATION FILED MAB. 27, 1909. I 939,788. Patented Aug. A11o, 1909.

I MMIII@ All.

l Il l WILLIAMl EDWARD ONEIL, OF N ORWICH, NEW YORK.

EXTENSION PLUG OR DEVICE CONNEOTING- ELECTRIC CONDCTORS.

Speeicationof Letters Patent.

Patented ug, 1o, 1909.

` Application med Maren 27, 1909. serial No. 4ssen.

f ZZ whom it may concern.'

Be it known that I, WILLIAM E. ONEIL, ofNorwichrin the county ofClienango and State of'New York, have invented certain new and usefulImprovements in Extension Plugs or Devices for Connecting ElectricConductors; and I hereby declare ythat the following is a full,'clear,and exact description thereof, reference beinghad to the accompanyingdrawings, which form part of this specification.

This invention is a'novel extension plug or device for connectingelectric conductors, being especially designed for use in connecting aportableelectric light to a wall socket, or lamp socket, so that suoliportable light may be used at any desired point, and readily attached toor detached from the permanent :fixtures or sockets.

The object of the invention is to enable the plug to be attached to anordinary screwthreaded incandescent light socket, or the like, withouthaving to screw the plug into such socket,-and this Iaccomplish bymaking the plug expansible, and providing it with a wedge ieee by whichthe plug can be handled, and y simply pushing the plug, by the wedge,into the socket the connection'is Iliade, and by simply pulling out thewedge the plug is contracted and withdrawnfrom l the socketwithouthaving to turn the plug.

The invention is applicable to plugs for other kinds of sockets, as willbe readily comprehended whenthe invention is understood;

land I will now explain the invention in connection with theaccomlpanying ldrawings which lllustrate a practica form thereof, and

- I summarize in the claims the features of the invention for which Idesire protection.

In sald drawingsFigure 1 is a side view of an ordinary incandescentlight socket, and

my novel connector plug engaged therewith. Fig. 2 is an enlargedsectional view of a portion of the light socket and the plug, showing itcontracted, in full lines, and expanded, in dotted lines. Fig.-3 is asection of the plug on line 3-5`, Fig. I2, showing the wedge inserted. lFig. 4 is a transverse section on line 4 4, Fig. 2. Fig. 5 is anenlarged sectional view similar to Fig. 'showi'ng a slight modilicationof the plug; Fig. 6 is a transverse section online 6 6, Fig. 5.

In' the drawings 1 represents the socket piece, which may be of anydesired construction, being shown as on `an ordinary incandescent lightsoeket, and having a threaded socket-contact 1a, and an internal endcontact 1b, as usual, said contacts being prolperly insulated, and beingconnected in tl e ordinary manner to the proper wires in theconductor 1. The socket is welll known, and no particular illustrationor description thereof 1s necessary. Ordinarilyconnection is made withsuch sockets by means of similarly threaded contact plugs, screwedthereinto, and having side and end contacts adapted to connect withcontacts l, 1b, to form a continuation of the electric circuit when`theplug is screwed home into the socket lThe operation of screwing theplug into, orout of, the socket is slow and sometimes diicult, and myinvention provides a plug which can bc'practically instantaneouslyconnected to or removed from such sockets without having to turn theplug to lattach or detach it.

M lu com rises opposite longitudinal partr oi hlves 2) and 3, which areprovided with reduced ortions 2, 3X, adapted to be inserted intof esocket 1. The parts 2 and 3 are held in pro er relative positions bysuitable means, as' y dowel pins 3*t attached to part 3 engaging holes2b 1n part 2, which pins permit the parts to be 'separated lengtlland 3are however separated by' an interposed wedge-piece 4, preferably offiber or insulating material, said wedge-piece being thickest at itsouter end, and tapering to itsv v inner end. This4 wedge-piece 4 may beprovided with a slot 4a to accommodate springs 5, and with slots 4b toaccommodate ins 3a, so that the wedge 4 can be shifted ongitudinallybetween parts 2 and3, and when pushed inward or toward the small ends ofparts 2 and 3 it se arates the parts; and when drawn outwar it.allowsthe parts to be drawn toward each other; in this way the plug may beexpanded and contracted at will. The part 3 may have a threaded lcontactpiece 3f on its outer side and a c ontact piece 3g on its end, separatedby an insulation 3h, said contact pleces being connected with wires inthe conductor 6 in the usual manner, so that when the plug is in the`portion 2, 3X, t ereof can be directl pull Wedge 4 outward, whlchsocket, current can be transmitted from conductor 1 to conductor 6, andthence to any suitable receptive device, such as an incandescent lam(not shown).

The wedge p ate 4 is provided with an en larged head or widened portion4F on itsy outer end, by which it can be easily graspled by two fingersand the thumb, o'r in ot er manner, so as to be easily Vand readily maniulated.

l efore attempting wto'insert the plug` into a socket, the wedge4 isdrawn outward, thus contracting the lug, -so that the reduced enteredintonthe socket la Without screwing it therein, until contact 3g strikescontact 1b, then b ushing wedge 4 inward the plug is expanded bringingcontact 3g into contact With the socket-contact la, and locking thevlace; if desired the plug may be plug in given a actional turn, after itis expanded, so as to insure the engagement of the threaded parts ofthej contacts 3f, la# To withdraw the, plug, it is simply necessary topermits the plug to contract and simultaneously disengage the socketwithout any twisting or turning pf the plug.

Zand 3. are held to ether by an encircling helical s ring 5a, an theinternal springs 5 can be dlspensed with. i

Obviously the form and proportions of theparts could be varied tosuitthe desi ner and the size and kind of socket with w ich the plug isto be used.

Having described myinvention what I claim as new and desire to secure byLetters Patent thereon is:

1. A contact plug for electrical connections, com rising oppositerelatively movable mem ers, contacts carried thereby, means foryieldingly drawing these members together, and a wedge lug interposedbetween the members an adapted to be o erated by hand to expand the plugwhen t e plug is inserted in a socket, and to permit the contraction ofthe plug when it is to be removed from the socket.

In Figs. 5 and 6 of the drawings the partsa manuallyoperable Wedge pieceinserted between the members or parts and adapted to expandY the plugwhen pushed into the socket, and to ermit the contraction` of the pluand with raw it from the socket when ypul ed outward.

- 3. An electrical connector plug comprising opposite parts havingcontracted ends adapte to enter a connector socket, springs for holdingand drawing the parts together, a hand piece inserted between the partsand adapted to expand the parts when pushed inward and permit theircontraction when drawn outward and whereby the plug may be readilyinserted into and withdrawn from the socket.

4. The .herein described connector plug comprising opposite longitudinalarts )rovided with insulated contacts a apte to enter a socket, springsconnecting the parts, a wedge piece interposed between the parts andvhaving an enlarged outer end whereby it can be manually handled, andadapted to expand the plug after the contacts are ins erted into thesocket and to permit the plug to contract and be withdrawn from thesocket when the Wedge is pulled outward.

5. The herein .described connector plug comprising op osite longitudinalparts provided with re uced portions adapted to enterV a socket,insulated contacts on the reduced portions of the plug, springsconnecting the arts, a wedge ieee interposed between t e arts and avingan enlarged outer end w ereb it can be manually handled, and adapte toexpand the )lug after the reduced end is inserted into the socket, andto permit the plug to contract and be withdrawn from the socket when itis pulled outward.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own, I afhx my signaturein presence of two witnesses.

WILLIAM EDWAR ONEIL. Witnesses:

ROY F. HOLMES, MYLEs REDMOND.

